Jane Hutt, Longest Serving Female Minister in UK to Step Down from Welsh Parliament

• UK’s Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt decides to leave from Welsh Parliament
• Jane is the longest serving female minister of UK
• She will be stepping down from Cardiff Bay in 2026

As per the Labour sources, the longest serving female minister of United Kingdom, Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt is leaving the Welsh Parliament in 2026. She has served in diverse roles with an almost unbroken cabinet run. This was possible because the powers were decentralized from Westminster to Wales in the year 1999.

At the elections of May 2026, the Labour Vale of Glamorgan Senedd member is being expected to step down from Cardiff Bay. Previously, she led the health and education ministries, serving under a total of six first ministers.

In the year 1999, Jane took the position of Welsh health minister when Alun Michael was leading the Cardiff’s first devolved government. During that time, Tony Blair was only two years as UK prime minister while Bill Clinton was serving as the US President alongside Boris Yeltsin leading Russia.

The 75 years old Jane is a Member of the Senedd for Vale of Glamorgan. She has served as Minister for Health and Social Services from 1999 to 2005; Minister for Assembly Business and Chief Whip from 2005 to 2007; Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills from 2007 to 2009; Minister for Business and Budget from 2009 to 2011; Minister for Finance from 2011 from 2016; and Leader of the House and Chief Whip from 2016–2017. Currently, she is the Chief Whip.